Jealous man sentenced for murdering former partner in ‘vicious, unrelenting attack’

The family of a woman killed by her former partner have described the sentencing of her murderer as a “bittersweet” moment.

William Finlay (68), of Old Forde Gardens in Whitehead, pleaded guilty last year to murdering 64-year-old Alyson Nelson at her home in Victoria Avenue in the Co Antrim town.

Ms Nelson was described at Belfast Crown Court as a “beloved mother and grandmother” who, her family said, was “constantly bubbling with life”.

The court heard that Finlay had acted out of jealousy after Ms Nelson got into a relationship with another man. He was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison.

In a statement, Ms Nelson’s family said it was a “bittersweet” day. They said they were relieved to see the end of the legal proceedings, but the pain of their loss remains immeasurable.

“She will be sorely missed by all who knew her,” the family said.

Mr Justice O’Hara told the court that Ms Nelson was a former nurse and that “public service ran in her family”. He told the court that she met Finlay online in December 2018 and he later moved in with her.

They separated after a year and he moved to another flat in Whitehead, which she had found for him. The judge said that in the weeks before her death, Ms Nelson had started a relationship with another man.

She had met him for a drink in a bar in Whitehead on the night of her murder, but Finlay turned up and stared at the couple. Mr Justice O’Hara said a witness had told police that Finlay told him he was jealous of Ms Nelson’s new relationship.

Ms Nelson later left the bar to go home to let her dogs out.

“CCTV at the front door of Ms Nelson’s home captured what happened next,” the judge said.

“The defendant arrived wearing latex gloves and entered the house. He left barely a minute later still wearing the gloves but openly carrying a long knife which he had just used to murder Ms Nelson by stabbing her repeatedly in a vicious, unrelenting attack.”

Postmortem reports showed Ms Nelson suffered stab wounds to her cheek, chin, neck and jaw, to the front and back of her chest and both arms. The fatal wound went through the left of her chest and cut blood vessels in her neck. The judge said her hands showed signs of “classic defensive injuries” and that she died very quickly.

Police found Finlay at his home within the hour and discovered his blood-stained clothes, the latex gloves and the knife, which had been cleaned. He denied guilt during police interviews and did not plead guilty until last November.

Mr Justice O’Hara said Ms Nelson’s daughters had provided victim impact statements in which they described their mother as kind and caring and “constantly bubbling with life”.

“Her family’s loss is immeasurable, they have lost a beloved mother and grandmother,” he said. “She is no longer around to spoil her grandchildren … birthdays and Christmases will never be the same for them.”

The judge said Finlay had been in the navy for 25 years and had had trouble readjusting to civilian life. He said aggravating factors in the case included premeditation, lack of remorse and the domestic abuse element.

The judge, who had previously imposed a life sentence on Finlay, told him he would serve a minimum of 20 years before he could be considered for release. - PA